Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1534889
9 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 30 APRIL 2025 NEWS Minister says WT Global will receive letter of suspension over unsanctioned garage TRANSPORT Malta (TM) will be handing WT Global a letter of suspension because the com- pany does not have a sanctioned public service garage for its cabs. Minister Chris Bonett told parliament on Tuesday that WT Global, Malta's largest cab company, is not compliant with transport laws and will be receiving a letter of suspension from Transport Malta. He denied MaltaToday's report that TM ap- proved of the company's garage arrangement. MaltaToday had approached TM for comment on the story but never received a response. According to Bonett, in October 2023 TM an- nounced new regulations targeting operators with five or more vehicles in their fleet, aiming to curb abuse in the sector. These operators were ordered to keep their vehicles garaged in a PSG when not in use and were given 12 months to comply. Despite the one-year grace period, a number of operators still lacked the required garage space. As a result, TM granted them an extension until the end of 2024. Operators were required to submit a planning application showing that they had applied for a PSG. Those who showed TM they were working on securing a PSG were informed that they must have an approved permit by 18 April 2025. WT Global's garage is still awaiting planning approval. Despite this, the garage has been built and is in use. NICOLE MEILAK nmeilak@mediatoday.com.mt Minister Chris Bonett says WT Global must suspend garage operations at Kordin JURORS hearing the 'Maksar' trial listened to hearsay testimony about a man uninvolved in the proceedings who might have built the bomb that killed Daphne Caruana Galizia. The accused are Robert and Adrian Agius, known as 'Ta' Maksar', Jamie Vella and George Degiorgio. Vella and Robert Agius, Adrian's younger brother, are accused of complicity in the murder of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia by supplying the bomb that killed her in October 2017. Adrian Agius is charged with com- missioning the murder of lawyer Carmel Chircop in 2015. Prosecu- tors insist that the hit was also car- ried out in complicity with Jamie Vella and George Degiorgio, who are accused of executing Chircop's murder. Melchior Spiteri, a convicted mur- derer who was in prison at the same time as Agius, took the stand on Tuesday. Spiteri told the court that Agius would frequently cry and em- phasise his innocence in the case. He also said that a certain Brandon Cachia had confided in him about Kevin Ellul, also known as Double 00, and his alleged involvement in the bombing. Spiteri felt morally compelled to pass this information to Agius. Brandon Cachia later testified and confirmed that his former girlfriend, Nicole Brignone, had told him Ellul was the one who built the bomb that killed Caruana Galizia. He also said that Brignone had warned him about Ellul's violent tendencies. "If he finds out we're not cousins, he will kill us both," she had told him. This was after she had instructed Cachia to pose as her cousin, since she did not want to raise suspicion that she was two-timing Ellul with Cachia. Brignone then testified and con- firmed that she was romantically involved with both Brandon Cachia and Kevin Ellul. At first, she denied having a rela- tionship with Cachia and claimed not to remember much of her ear- lier statements. Pressed further, Brignone admitted to dating both men at the same time and confirmed being in a car with them, an admis- sion that contradicted her earlier denial. This prompted the judge to dismiss the jury temporarily to address a le- gal point. The defence then request- ed her earlier testimony be read out in full to jurors. In her previous testimony, she had also admitted that there was a dis- cussion about bombs with Kevin El- lul. Ellul allegedly said he wanted to make a bomb targeting the Maksar brothers as revenge after believing that the bomb which exploded in his residence in 2018 was actualy done by the brothers themselves. When asked about the bomb that killed Daphne Caruana Galizia, Brignone told the court that Ellul told her someone called him about it. Brignone added that Ellul had said he's "not stupid" and would not get involved. However, Kevin later said that he received calls from pris- on and asked the callers if his name was being mentioned in connection with the Caruana Galizia bomb. Brignone told the jury that she does not remember telling Brandon Cachia that Kevin Ellul was involved in creating the bomb that killed Caruana Galizia. After hearing that Brignone spoke with Ellul briefly before the session, the judge kept the witness isolated at court until her testimony the day after. The witness angrily stormed out at the decision after hearing that she was not to return home for the night. Police officers involved in the ar- rests and evidence collection also testified on Tuesday. The jury heard how a trove of mobile phones, SIM cards, and batteries was recovered during an underwater search near the Marsa potato shed, close to where Alfred and George Degiorgio were arrested. Meanwhile, various inspectors re- counted the arrest of Jamie Vella and Robert Agius at a Mosta farm- house, stating that both had fully cooperated. Drone footage shown to the jury earlier in the day also captured the aftermath of the bombing. This in- cluded white sheets covering body parts and debris expelled from the car. Other photos revealed a 'vantage point' near the site, cigarette butts, and even human faeces. Prosecutors Godwin Cini, Danika Vella and Anthony Vella are repre- senting the attorney general's office. Defence lawyer Nicholas Mifsud is appearing for Adrian Agius, Ish- mael Psaila and Amadeus Cachia for Jamie Vella, Alfred Abela and Rene Darmanin representing Robert Agi- us, and Noel Bianco and Leslie Cus- chieri for George Degiorgio. Jason Azzopardi and Therese Co- modini Cachia are assisting the Caruana Galizia family, while Vince Galea is assisting the Chircop fam- ily. MAYA GALEA mgalea@mediatoday.com.mt Maksar trial: Inmate testifies on hearsay that Caruana Galizia bomb was made by 'Double Zero' Matthew Caruana Galizia kneels in front of the banner that marks the spot where the burning car that killed his mother came to rest on 16 October 2017 (Photo: James Bianchi/ MaltaToday)